Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-07-27
Amount stolen or misappropriated. $40, 5S9.o7
COMPARISON WITH HIS OWN ADMINISTRATIONS

Amount stolen or misappropriated $40, $50 81
COMPARISON WITH HIS OWN ADMINISTRATION.
This steal," continued Mr.. Crane, 'cannOt be
laid to another form OF government, which was
Neither can Ii be charged to poor Lubey who had
been slumberinS In his grave for eight years
When that report was written But there Is
During the eleven months that 1 had charge of
the water office we laid 27,251 feet OF 6-inch
water pipe, at cost Of ga, 1857, which was ex-
actly 80 cents per Hneal foot.
"ln my report for that year find that stated :
.ihe assessments upon property bordering on
THESE mains Will not vary much from 1900,
leaving small balance in favor OF the corporation
after paying cost OF assessing and collecting the
eighths Of cent per square foot, with pipe s7S
per ton.
"The city Of Georgetown assessed tax for lay
Ing mains at 60 cents per front foot on each
side, making the total assessment for both sides
OF the street S12O per front foot Now, with pipe
down TO $50 per ton, Capt. Symons complains that
ne cannot lay mains at one and o quarter cents
per square foot, which, ON lots 100 feet deep,
amounts TO $1.25 per front foot on each side, or
total assessment or $50 per front foot for both
sides OF the street. In view of these facts Capt
SymOnS' statements are prepOsterOus and unwOr-
tiny OF moments consideration. 1t is evident
tnat water rents have been taken to make up def
clencteS In funds that have been stolen or nisap-
proprtated for the benefit OF other funds. A law
OF Congress requires the water funds to be kept
sacred, and 1t Is made penal Onense to divert
those FUNDS for any other purpose"
FUNDS SAID NOT TO BE ACCOUNTED FOR.
Mr.. Crane said that he had seen no account
made of the receipts OF the sales OF old water
main pipe, which must amount to quite consider
able sum, nor OF the $4,000 from the sale of the
Old central guard house, which was originally
purchased with money from the water fund.
Ihese de1alcat1ons," the speaker added, sand
miSappropriatiOns OF water fund explain why the
commissioners are now reSOrting TO the desperate
means or sending out bogus Waterman assess
ments TO raise funds. have seen it stated that
they were expecting to raise from one to two
hundred thousand dollars from such assessments
III they succeed in what they have undertaken the
amount reailzed Will go a good way in helping
them out on the deficiency that have proved nv
their own ngureS exists"
RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED.
A committee on resolutions consisting OF E. W.
Dunn, j. II. Homage and Michael O'Brien was
appointed, and reported series Of resolutions
which, after referring to an interview with Can't.
SymOnS In THE STAR, in which 1t was claimed he
admitted thai there had been defalcattOn In the
water department, requested the president "to
OF money stolen, with the name OF the defaulter or
delaulters, and what measures, II any, have been
taken 10 secure The same"
The resolutions denounced "the conduct of the
District Commissioners in causing notice to he
puoLlshed requiring all water takers to go to the
water Office Tor their bills Illegal as wen as un.
reasonable and deSpot1c, which should cause the
Immediate Dismissal from ONCE OF said Commits
sOners; declared that 1t is the sense or this meet
Ing tnat great extravaganza, irregularities and
fraud exist In the management or the water de-
partment OF the District of Columbia, running
DC renedieu TOO soon, and We respectfully request
the President OF the United States 10 designate
some experienced accounting officer OF the
treasury Department To take charge OF the water
department and audit the same" requested the
committee or One Hundred To ask the President
"tO have the completion OF tie water works
placed under the control OF more expert
enced Officers, either Gen. Neigs or Col Casey :"
10 secure thorough investigation OF the water
department from ISL 10 1887 and TO petition Con-
gres5 'to relieve the citizens the District from
the payment OF such portions OF the cost OF the
Aqueduct extension as has been imposed upon
THEM by the acknowledgement or unnecessarily ey-
pensive plans of the engineer officers who have
Deem expanding the citizens money without their
consent"
In conclusion the resolutions arraign the
commissioners as ''recreant TO the trust that has
been eonnded TO thei5 care" In respect to the
matters complained Of in connection with the
water service, call upon the President to Invite
their Immediate designations, and upon the press
10 ald III exposing the management of the water
department The resolutions We're adopted A
committee, consisting OF j. Ii. HAYWARD Van
Buren Hiiiyard, j. IL. Crane, j. F. Linkins and
" LII. Smith was appointed TO hear the Complaints
OF water takers
HEARING COMPLAINTS.
An invitation WAS extended to those who had
anything TO say 10 make statements and Mr. John
+. Linkins said that he lived in the northwestern
part vi the city and some years ago his father had
laid a pipe To his property connecting with the T.
street main. There had been no other water nine
LAID, and now the commissioners wanted him to
pay Waterman tax for the pipe which had been
put down at private expense. He had refused 10
pay, ana ne thought that the Commissioners had
no right TO refuse To receive their water taxes and
10 threaten To shut on the water on this account
One % the audience asked what course ought to
Dc pursued by those who were assessed for the
Waterman TAX unJustiy, as they thought and
were threatened with the shutting on OF the water
unless they paid Both Mr.. L1nkins and Mr. Crane
advised that In such cases tender In writing be
made OF the water tax, and then II the water was
smut on legal proceedings could be instituted.
MI. Crane, however, said that Col Ludlow In the
interview printed la yesterdays STAR had clearly
backed down from hts position to shut on the
water nom all deiinQuents. lie said that the
statement on the water bills that the law was
mandatory In this particular and admitted OF no
discretion was ridiculous. Instead OF having
thirty days TO pay the water tax, there should be
six months time allowed.
Mr. Holland stated that he lived at 18th and H
streets extended northeast, and that ut the ex-
pense OF himself and his neighbors, Mr.. Tolbert
anu MI Wilt, pipe had been laid some years ago
10 tnelr properties, connecting with the city main
ms year Dill had been sent them for q water.
main tax When be went to get his water bill for
the present year II was given him, but when his
brother-in-law asked for hts bill they refused 10
give IL 10 hun until he paid the Waterman as
sessment. The cases were Identical and yet be